An interesting question. Yes, surely, underground springs etc must have
been disrupted or diverted by mining activity, and new water outlets
created. An intriguing example from Dartmoor is at Willabeame (SX
593701), an ancient and large tinwork documented in the early 17th
century but probably much older in origin. The tinwork is actually named
after a spring (the 'Will' element means 'spring') and the spring is
still visible today in the outflow (a deep excavated channel) from the
tinwork. Its waters were considered to have healing properties. Which
came first - the spring or the tinwork? One imagines that the medieval
tinners must have encountered the spring when they excavated the
openwork - if so, where was the spring before work commenced?

Yours, Tom

On 27/07/2020 17:33, John Hudswell wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Does anyone know about research into the effect of mining on the vitality of springs and streams?
>
> Specifically I'm interested in existing springs and streams disappearing or new ones emerging. The context would be the tin, copper and lead mines of West Devon - such as those cut into the sides of river valleys such as the Tavy and the Walkham. In my (ignorant) mind I visualise a shaft or adit serving as a ground-drying drain, thereby depriving an existing spring or stream of its source.
>
> The context for my enquiry is whether streams and more particularly springs we observe today can be presumed to have existed 1-2,000 years ago.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Hudswell.
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--
Tom Greeves MA PhD, 39 Bannawell Street, Tavistock, Devon PL19 0DN, tel:
01822 617004; www.tomgreeves.org; Chairman, The Dartmoor Society
1998-2019; author of 'Dartmoor & the Displacement of Culture: Analysis &
Remedy' , Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 147 (2015) 1-44
(available as download from www.academia.edu); author of Called Home -
The Dartmoor Tin Miner 1860-1940: Photographs & Memory (Twelveheads
Press, 2016) *** Devon Book of the Year 2016 ***

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